No further penalty for Ferrari from FIA

[John S]

Well that's it then, F**k the fans and spectators, it's ok fix a race for $100,000.    

However arrange to bowl some No Balls at a cricket Test Match and you face a criminal court as well as the cricket authorities.  

The FIA has taken the decision to impose no further penalties for Ferrari's use of team orders during the German GP, according to the head of the Italian motorsport federation, Angelo Sticchi Damiani.

The governing body will however review article 39.1 in a bid to clarify it or scrap it completely and allow the use of team orders.

The Italian outfit were accused of using team orders to switch the positions of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, handing the latter the race win.

The stewards imposed a $100,000 fine immediately after the race and referred the matter to the World Motor Sport Council - that meeting took place today.

The FIA's reasoning behind the decision not to penalise the team further is yet to be known, but the oucome is likely to infuriate fans who have accused Ferrari of fixing the result in their favour for a mere $100,000.

thef1times.com, Today at 17.36.

[Ian]

Did we expect anything else John, don't forget we are talking about FERRARI, heaven help another team if they'd done that.   

[Williamsfan]

Just what I expected.  Ferrari would have made an even bigger mess though had there been a punishment by dragging F1 into greater legal turmoil. 

[Jericoke]

I can't say I'm surprised by this outcome.

Disappointed, of course, but not surprised.   

[Canada Darrell™]

"POP"...."CLINK"....."fizzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Hear that? It's the sound of champagne being opened and glasses being hoisted at Ferrari HQ. Just as I predicted.

Way to go F1. You just told the fans that as long as you don't say "Pull over and let your teammate pass" and instead veil the message in a poorly coded "Your teammate is faster NUDGE-NUDGE-WINK-WINK-KNOW-WHAT-I-MEAN?" that it is OK to FIX a race. $100,000 is way too small a fine to act as a deterent for ANY team in the hunt for a WDC driver.

I don't give a flying #$%# what the "gentleman's rule" used to be in F1, the rule in place at the moment is black-and-white; "NO TEAM ORDERS". Ferrari has violated that rule in such a cavalier and cocky manner that this looks very bad for F1.

What a bunch of wankers!

ps - I'll add that the message would be the same from me no matter the team.

[Ian]

  100%

[judy]

I am certainly not surprise at all, considering the FIA president is their former team principal. 

The fact is team orders is against the FIA regulation but why no penalty is imposed on Ferrari, just because they threatened to sue FIA? This is a big joke! 

[lkjohnson1950]

As was said before, every team will add $100K to the budget and bring a check to each race. Case closed.

Lonny

[PG_Gabriel]

ten bucks say's alonso wins the championship by 5 points...


Way to screw the fans FIA

[SennaMan]

Hey guys and gals - FERRARI IS Formula 1 and ever since the 1950's, [when Enzo himself bullied the FIA and race promoters like Le Mans with threats of withdrawing], has always threatened using this tactic.

...and I guess it always will as it too obviously works, until someone has the cajones to disqualify them

...but did ya really expect the FIA under jean TODT to do that?

[Williamsfan]

I am not surprised to see animosity towards Ferrari and the FIA boiling over here once more.  It is embarrassing really given what has gone on in recent years in terms of how other teams have been punished.  Renault had members of their team banned, McLaren had a severe financial penalty.  Ferrari had $100,000 which I am sure will be covered easily by their end of season prize money.  I am aware that the McLaren and Renault incidents were different and bad in their own way, but Ferrari clearly brought the sport into disrepute. 

Now, I almost hope that another team makes such a blatant team order call in the remainder of the season so we can see what happens to them.  Certainly the FIA will have no legs to stand on if they take any other teams to the cleaners.

[John S]

Now, I almost hope that another team makes such a blatant team order call in the remainder of the season so we can see what happens to them.  Certainly the FIA will have no legs to stand on if they take any other teams to the cleaners.

The teams may make the call WF, but will the drivers obey?

Not sure that Lewis, Jens, Mark or Sebastion will view it quite as simply as a Ferrari driver has to. 

[Williamsfan]

I agree at the moment no driver would allow it, but let's see later in the season if anyone driver really is out of the title and gets such a blatant call to move over for the good of the team!  Anyway, I actually don't want it to happen other than for a morbid sense of curiosity as to what would happen to that team.  Double standards of F1 etc! 

[cosworth151]

Some drivers, like Massa or Petrov, aren't in a position to say no. Besides, I'm sure that the preferred driver will get a bit faster pit stops, better tire strategies, etc.

Maybe the other teams should all show up at Monza with their cars painted red. NASCAR owner Felix Sabatas did much the same thing back in the 90's. His driver, Kyle Petty, was fined for rough driving while NASCAR was giving Earnhardt a free hand. Sabatas showed up at the next race with his car painted Earnhardt's signature black.

Of course, NASCAR fined him for it.

[Andy B]

Jean Todt has said there is not enough evidence to prove team orders if that is the case then what were they fines for?